With Honor Intact
by Dracoqueen22
Summary: With Lord Megatron's displeasure hanging over his helm, Skyquake makes a choice and Dreadwing is hard-pressed to approve. Fidelis Arc, prequel to Eden in Morning.


**Title: With Honor Intact**

**Universe: TFP, pre-canon, _Fidelis_ Arc**

**Characters: DreadwingxSoundwave, Skyquake**

**Rating: T**

**Description: With Lord Megatron's displeasure hanging over his helm, Skyquake makes a choice and Dreadwing is hard-pressed to approve.  
**

**Written for tf-prime's Winter Wishlist prompt of Dreadwing and Skyquake, bro-fic  
**

* * *

The ping was insistent, knocking at Dreadwing's subconscious until he onlined from recharge with a groggy whine of his systems. He cycled his optics in the dim of his quarters, confusion making his processor run slowly. According his chronometer, he wasn't due on shift for another two joor. Why had he woken?

Another ping, louder this time, and more insistent. It wasn't from Lord Megatron for certain. Dreadwing checked the ident tag.

Oh.

He ex-vented noisily, rising from his berth. He was going to throw Skyquake through the wall, frag it. What in Unicron's rusted undergarments could be so important?

In the darkness, the sound of another system slowly cycling on filtered to Dreadwing's audials. He half-turned, patting his partner on an outflung arm, sending soothing pulses through his energy field.

"It is Skyquake," Dreadwing murmured subvocally, hoping that Soundwave would return to recharge. He indulged so rarely in it as it was. "I'll return shortly."

He heard Soundwave's systems cycle back down into recharge. Luckily, none of his cassettes had stirred either.

Rolling away from his partner, Dreadwing slid off the berth and wobbled as his gyros stabilized. This, right here, was the primary reason it was a terrible idea to online in the middle of a deep defrag. It left one disorientated and clumsy.

Dreadwing stumbled out of the berthroom, sliding the door shut behind him, and slogged across the main room, the overhead lights tripping on as they detected his presence. He slammed his palm against the door access, the doors sliding open for his late-night visitor.

Without waiting for an invitation, Skyquake hurried inside, before the door finished slotting itself. "What took you so long?" he demanded.

Dreadwing cycled his optics, punching at the panel to close the door. "I was in recharge. It's the middle of my off-shift."

Skyquake huffed a ventilation. "Recharge? Hmph. You aren't alone and we both know it."

Turning to face his brother, Dreadwing dragged a palm down his faceplate. "Not the point. What do you want, Skyquake?"

"Testy, testy, brother. Did I interrupt you mid-overload?" Skyquake's wings twitched, betraying the emotion currently broiling in his energy field. "Huh. Didn't know the comms mech had it in him."

Dreadwing's optics narrowed. This was a constant point of contention between them. "_Skyquake_," he growled.

His twin waved him off with a shake of his helm. "Lord Megatron has given me a mission."

"What?" Dreadwing startled, groping for a chair and sliding into one. "But I thought...?"

After the Battle of Technahar, Lord Megatron hadn't been pleased with either of them or the Seeker corps.

"Do not remind me of my failure, _brother_," Skyquake snapped, his lips twisting into a sneer that wasn't quite directed at Dreadwing. "This is an opportunity for me to redeem myself. One that I intend to take."

Dreadwing's plating clamped tight to his frame. He did not like Skyquake's tone. "What is the mission?"

Skyquake turned away from him, poking about Dreadwing's quarters as though he had every right. "The Autobots have left us little choice," he murmured, pausing at the window and staring out over a Simfur dark and silent because the energon was too spare for lighting. "Lord Megatron is ordering energon stores off planet. They will need a guardian."

That sounded more like a punishment to Dreadwing. It was no secret that Lord Megatron held little tolerance for failure, despite his continued mercy toward Starscream.

Dreadwing frowned. "You accepted?"

"I volunteered."

Dreadwing rose to his pedes, processor quickly clearing in the wake of this news. "Skyquake, that's ridiculous. Guardian duty is for grounders. Foot soldiers. Not Seekers."

Skyquake whirled, his energy field spiking before he reeled it in. "It is an honor to serve Lord Megatron in whatever capacity he deems fit."

"This is not service!" His servo cut through the air, sharp with indignation. There was a difference between punishment and an honest assignment. Dreadwing would follow Lord Megatron to the end of Cybertron, but that didn't mean he was blind to the mech's faults.

"Enough." Skyquake thumped his chestplate, armor ruffling. "I took an oath. One that I intend to honor. As did _you_. Remember?"

Dreadwing lowered his helm, optics cycling down. "I have not forgotten."

"Then cease your attempts to dissuade me."

A fluttery ventilation escaped Dreadwing's frame. "Such was not my intention, brother." By the Allspark, Skyquake could be so stubborn! "When do you leave?"

Skyquake's energy field calmed by degrees. "Within the orn. I will first escort the shipment off-planet."

"And then submit to stasis after." Dreadwing's shoulder fairings slumped. "It could be vorns before you awaken."

Skyquake's lipplate curled in amusement. "With any luck, Lord Megatron will have won the war by then and my guardianship will no longer be needed."

This did not relieve Dreadwing in the slightest. In all their vorns, they had never been separated for such an extended period of time. Nor did he like the thought of Skyquake all but exiling himself to some distant planet, certain to be abandoned or forgotten.

It was clear, however, that he would not be able to convince his twin to do anything but follow Lord Megatron's instruction. His failure to destroy Optimus Prime must have angered Lord Megatron beyond reason and Skyquake obviously felt it was his duty to suffer for his mistake.

Dreadwing was not so optimistic as to believe the war would be over so quickly. The Decepticons had the benefit of greater numbers and firepower and a great leader to rally behind. But the Autobots were proving to be tenacious and unwilling to back down. The war would drag on simply because the Autobots would fight down to the last mechanism.

"If you truly believe this is the best course of action, then I will support you," Dreadwing finally managed, though he still wanted to shout his protests to the stars. He did not want to fight this war without Skyquake on his wing.

Skyquake nodded firmly, clasping his servo to Dreadwing's shoulder. "It is. These energon stores are important and could be the difference between victory and defeat in the future. In this, I shall not fail Lord Megatron."

That was the crux of the matter, was it not? It all came down to Lord Megatron's perceptions of their capabilities and their loyalties.

"Of course, you won't." Dreadwing loosed his control of his energy field, letting it free to wrap gently around his twin's, pulsing affection and pride. "We, the Seekers, are the pride of Lord Megatron's army and he will not forget that any time soon."

Skyquake's energy field returned the affection, along with a quiver of gratitude. His servo cupped the back of Dreadwing's helm, dragging it close so that they could press forehelms together. He said nothing, but honestly, nothing needed to be said. The small gesture was enough.

Finally, Skyquake withdrew with a lingering pat to Dreadwing's shoulder. "Watch your wing, brother. I don't want to hear of an Autobot getting in a lucky shot."

Dreadwing rolled his optics, huffing. "You're one to talk."

"That was a cheap shot and you know it," Skyquake retorted but he paused at the door, palming it open but hesitating in the doorway. "Watch that comms mech of yours, too. I'd hate to see you with a broken spark."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"You do that." Skyquake's talons rapped on the doorframe. "See you on the other side."

And then Skyquake was gone, the door sliding shut behind him with a quiet beep. He always did have to have the last word, stubborn glitch.

Dreadwing drew in a slow ventilation and locked the door. He hit the switch for the lights as well, activating the timer that would cut them off not long after he returned to his berthroom. Best to conserve energon wherever possible after all.

He wondered if he would ever see Skyquake again. In war, it was impossible to guess the future. Any number of accidents or attacks or mistakes could happen.

He hoped Lord Megatron knew what he was doing, that this was the best course of action. If Skyquake offlined for nothing, if his guardianship turned out to be a mere farce, Dreadwing wasn't certain he could accept that. Not even if it were Lord Megatron's orders.

They were not disposable weapons to be discarded. After all, that was the very same mindset they had rebelled against in the first place. Dreadwing refused to endure it from his own leader.

Shaking his helm, Dreadwing returned to his berth. There was nothing for it now. Skyquake had made his choice and Dreadwing had to accept that.

For now, he would return to his berth, and his partner, and assume that it would all work out for the best. The Autobots were destined to suffer a loss. Dreadwing had to trust in that and believe that Skyquake would return to Cybertron soon enough.

He would accept no other alternative.

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a/n: Reviews are very welcome. I'm still a bit shaky on writing Decepticons.


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